Risking the Crown (The Crown 2)

I clutched the beach bag tightly to my shoulder and took the steps to the boardwalk two at a time. I didn’t want Cole to catch me eavesdropping on his business call. Things at the Dunes must have been worse than I thought.

From the top of the peak, I could see South Padre beach spreading for miles in both directions. To my left was the spot of last night’s bonfire and to my right was the party mecca. I walked straight ahead, shook out my towel, and stretched out under the Texas sun.

I tried to take deep, relaxing breaths and focus on the warmth of the sun’s rays, the waves pounding the shoreline, and the gulls circling overhead, but every time I heard a wave crash, I thought about that kiss and Cole’s hands on my body. Damn it. I sat up.

It was just a crush—a crush that should be out of my system now. Nothing else could happen.

“Here you go! Party at Bottoms Up tonight.”

A runner with a messenger bag slung over his bare chest ran past while shoving a flyer in my hand. I looked at the fluorescent green paper.

Bottoms Up knows how to party

Be there—everyone else will be

It wasn’t the most creative marketing I had seen, but it was sure to draw lots of other grads like me. Maybe that was what I needed. I should get away from the Dune Scape and hang out with other people my age. I needed to integrate with the rest of the real world. A distraction from Cole and those lips was in order.

There was a long list of performers. Luckily, whoever had designed the Bottoms Up flyer had added a map at the bottom. Like Peabody’s, it was on the sound side of the island and not too far from where I was staying. I smiled before tucking the party invite into my bag.

The green sundress would have to be ok for the Bottoms Up party. It was the only dress I had, and I didn’t want to wear running shorts for my night out. I checked my reflection in the mirror. It hit my curves in all the right

spots, and I thought about what Lisa had said about how I looked in it. I wasn’t above accepting a few free drinks tonight.

I grabbed my purse and the palm tree key chain, and jogged out of the door and straight into Cole.

“Oh, hey. Sorry. I was—” I looked at him. He was carrying a stepladder in one hand and his waist was wrapped in a tool belt.

“You in a hurry?” He set the ladder down against the wall.

“I thought I’d try the Bottoms Up party tonight.”

I brushed my choppy bangs to the side. I don’t know why he always made me fidget so much. I never did this around Branch.

“Right. I thought you said you weren’t a party girl.” I couldn’t tell if he was teasing me again or offended I was leaving.

“I’m not. I just wanted to see what the big deal is.”

I couldn’t tell him I needed a break from him. That if I stayed in my room tonight, I’d just think about last night.

He dropped the smile from his lips. “Well, be careful. It’s a big crowd and things get a little crazy down there.”

“So you’ve been before?” I tried to imagine Cole in a dance club. Should I ask him to go with me?

“I’m not that old. Yeah, I’ve been before. It’s not really my scene. I like Peabody’s.” He picked up the ladder.

I hesitated in the walkway, hoping for a sign of familiarity between us—a smile, a wink, anything. “Ok. See you around, I guess.”

I tucked the palm tree key into my purse and walked away from Cole. I liked Peabody’s too. If he had asked me, I would have gladly ditched my Bottoms Up plan to go have a drink with him at the bar, but he didn’t. Instead, he acted as if nothing happened last night.

The bouncer at the door barely looked at my ID before shuttling me through the gate that led into Bottoms Up. I was wedged against the back wall by a crowd of people in line for drinks at the bar. I edged along the wall, taking in my surroundings. There were cages dangling from the ceiling with bikini-clad girls dancing, a rapper I had never heard of performing on stage, and girls with beer logos strategically placed over their breasts handing out free drink samples.

Everything was flashing and the bass was so loud that I couldn’t think. Bottoms Up was all wrong for me. I knew it within my first two minutes inside the club. Why did I think this was a good idea?

“Can I buy you a shot?” An overly muscled guy wrapped his hand around my waist and shouted into my ear. He had doused himself with at least half a bottle of cologne and was wearing a tight tank top.

I tried to push back a little from him. “No, thanks. I was just leaving.”

I could still make it to Peabody’s and have a margarita. This evening didn’t have to be a total waste.